steering committee report: preliminary exploration of ... · appendix f: professional...

CWU HSI Initiative 7.12.18

Steering Committee Report: Preliminary Exploration of Pursuit of

Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Status at Central Washington University

July 12, 2018


Table of Contents Executive Summary: Hispanic Serving-Institution Background Information National Enrollment Profile Washington Enrollment Profile Brief Overview HSI Steering Committee Process Commonalities across Reports Suggestions for Next Steps Subcommittee Reports: Community Engagement

Overview of Current Programs and Efforts Strengths Challenges Recommendations Next Steps Resources

Recruitment Overview of Current Programs and Efforts Strengths Challenges Recommendations Resources

Student Retention and Support Overview of Current Programs and Efforts Strengths Challenges Resources

Curriculum and Programming Overview of Current Programs and Efforts Strengths Challenges Current Efforts Recommendations Next Steps Resources

Professional Development Overview of Current Programs and Efforts Strengths Challenges


Recommendations Next Steps Resources

Public Affairs Overview of Current Programs and Efforts Strengths Challenges Recommendations Resources

Appendices Appendix A: Steering Committee Membership Appendix B: Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement Data Appendix C: KCWU Programming Appendix D: Regional Demographic Data Appendix E: Todos Somos Familia Appendix F: Professional Development’s Preliminary Collection of Existing Initiatives, Research, and Other Institutional Examples Appendix G: Wildcat ESL Program Appendix H: Intergroup Dialogue Executive Summary Appendix I: Public Affair’s HSI Grid Appendix J: HSI Communications Best Practices Appendix K: HIS Steering Committee Data Presentation (April 2018)


Executive Summary

Hispanic-Serving Institution Background Information

For an institution to qualify for Hispanic-Serving (HSI) designation, it must have at least 25% Latinx/Hispanic student population.1 This designation is based on reported IPEDS data for the previous year. While “emerging” or “emergent” HSI is not an official federal designation, Excelencia in Education uses the term to describe “institutions with an undergraduate FTE Hispanic enrollment between 15 and 24 percent.” HSI designation opens the door to multiple grant funding opportunities currently available at the federal level.

As will be discussed below, at 2017 census, Latinx/Hispanic enrollment at Central Washington University (CWU) was 15.8% (up from 14.6% in 2016, 12.93% in 2015, and 9.8% in 2009). Total student diversity as reported at Spring 2018 census was 34% (including international students), or 31% (excluding international students). This steadily increasing enrollment of Latinx/Hispanic students at CWU, combined with a) national and state trends described below, b) our regional position, c) our strong commitment to creating pathways for and serving all students regardless of background and preparation, d) our unwavering support of diversity in all forms, and e) our commitment to creating an inclusive community confirm the need for strategic planning regarding pursuit of HSI status.

1 Latinx, Hispanic, and Latina/o are used interchangeably in this document. Latinxisagenderneutraltermthatisbeingusedasameansofbeingmoreinclusiveandmovingawayfromthegenderedterm. Hispanic generally focuses on Spanish-speaking origin. “Latino/a” refers to people of Latin American origin.


National Enrollment Profile

Two factors significantly contribute to the number of new students who enroll in 2- and 4-year college each year. The first is the number of high school seniors who graduate each year.

Table 1 reveals a changing profile of the U.S. high school graduate. While the total is not expected to grow significantly (a 5.7% increase over 10 years), the number of Hispanic graduates will increase by 33% during that same period. The ethnic mix of the total is shifting, primarily through this growth in Hispanics. Single digit increases are projected for other members of traditionally underrepresented groups, and the percentage and number of White graduates will fall. Table 1 United States High School Graduates Actual/Projected 2015-2024

SchoolYear

PUBLICSCHOOLSHighSchoolGraduatesTOTAL

Hispanic-Aloneoranyrace

Hispanic%ofPublicSchoolTotal

Non-Hispanic

White White%ofPublicSchoolTotal

Black Black%ofPublicSchoolTotal

AmerIndian/AlaskaNative

AmerIndian/AlaskaNative%ofPublicSchoolTotal

Asian/PacificIslander

(Combined)

Asian/PacificIslander%ofPublicSchoolTotal

2015-16 3,138,860 691,661 22.0% 1,773,222 56.5% 459,572 14.6% 30,167 1.0% 183,077 5.8%

2016-17 3,118,893 698,626 22.4% 1,757,322 56.3% 450,543 14.4% 29,300 0.9% 183,383 5.9%

2017-18 3,198,033 739,495 23.1% 1,769,885 55.3% 465,040 14.5% 29,050 0.9% 196,796 6.2%

2018-19 3,203,028 767,254 24.0% 1,754,284 54.8% 461,072 14.4% 28,139 0.9% 196,622 6.1%

2019-20 3,166,150 777,906 24.6% 1,720,563 54.3% 450,629 14.2% 27,458 0.9% 198,353 6.3%

2020-21 3,184,963 800,815 25.1% 1,724,512 54.1% 441,955 13.9% 26,662 0.8% 206,196 6.5%

2021-22 3,195,867 822,484 25.7% 1,719,195 53.8% 438,763 13.7% 26,268 0.8% 209,399 6.6%

2022-23 3,216,522 856,276 26.6% 1,704,187 53.0% 445,157 13.8% 25,878 0.8% 208,632 6.5%

2023-24 3,270,509 894,471 27.3% 1,711,952 52.3% 457,765 14.0% 25,711 0.8% 207,925 6.4%

2024-25 3,317,313 917,776 27.7% 1,724,972 52.0% 471,323 14.2% 25,399 0.8% 209,494 6.3%


A second determinant of enrollment is the percentage of high school graduates who pursue a higher education experience. Graph 1 displays the college-going rate by ethnicity and race. The only group to display more than a modest increase is Hispanics, whose college-going rate of 71% has caught up with that of Whites. Graph 1 Percentage of High School Completers from 2000-2016 enrolled in 2- or 4-year colleges by the October immediately following high school completion

SOURCE:U.S.DepartmentofCommerce,CensusBureau,CurrentPopulationSurvey(CPS),OctoberSupplement,2000through2016.SeeDigestofEducationStatistics2017,table302.20.


Washington Enrollment Profile The changes in numbers and mix of high school graduates at the national level are amplified at the state level. Table 2 reveals a changing profile of the Washington high school graduate. While the total will grow modestly (8%) over 10 years, the number of Hispanic graduates will increase by 72%. As a result, the ethnic mix of the total will shift: Hispanics will make up 29% of the total, other traditionally underrepresented groups will remain the same, and the percent of Whites will fall from 67.5% in 2015-16 to 63.9% in 2024-25. Table 2 Washington High School Graduates Actual/Projected 2015-2024

SchoolYearPUBLICSCHOOLSTOTAL

Hispanic-Aloneoranyrace

Hispanic%ofPublicSchoolTotal

Non-Hispanic

White White%ofPublicSchoolTotal

Black Black%ofPublicSchoolTotal

AmerIndian/AlaskaNative

AmerIndian/AlaskaNative%ofPublicSchoolTotal

Asian/PacificIslander

(Combined)

Asian/PacificIslander%ofPublicSchoolTotal

2015-16 65,894 12,068 18.3% 44,498 67.5% 2,808 4.3%719

1.1% 6,107 9.3%

2016-17 64,873 12,385 19.1% 43,698 67.4% 2,728 4.2% 668

1.0% 5,914 9.1%

2017-18 66,606 13,287 19.9% 44,374 66.6% 2,768 4.2% 624

0.9% 6,339 9.5%

Projectio

nsofH

ighScho

olGradu

ates

2018-19 66,807 14,500 21.7% 43,654 65.3% 2,688 4.0%581 0.9% 6,463 9.7%

2019-20 65,490 14,710 22.5% 42,652 65.1% 2,583 3.9%518

0.8% 6,458 9.9%

2020-21 66,282 15,556 23.5% 42,987 64.9% 2,553 3.9%491

0.7% 6,572 9.9%

2021-22 66,799 16,546 24.8% 42,997 64.4% 2,541 3.8% 446

0.7% 6,717 10.1%

2022-23 67,505 17,846 26.4% 43,178 64.0% 2,508 3.7%408 0.6% 6,727 10.0%

2023-24 68,910 19,162 27.8% 44,183 64.1% 2,610 3.8%378

0.5% 6,482 9.4%

2024-25 71,343 20,762 29.1% 45,614 63.9% 2,680 3.8%351

0.5% 6,788 9.5%

Source:WesternInterstateCommissionforHigherEducation,KnockingattheCollegeDoor:ProjectionsofHighSchoolGraduates,2016.


As the national, state, and CWU data show, it is likely that CWU will qualify for HSI status by 2023. However, as this report explains, becoming a responsive, successful, and sustainable HSI means much more than reaching the 25% student FTE self-identifying as Latinx/Hispanic; it means recognition and focused responsiveness to the diversity of the Latinx/Hispanic student population at CWU. When meeting the needs of our increasingly diverse student population, it is critical that we are student centered. To be truly student centered, we must create an intentionally welcoming environment, which is crucial to recruitment, retention, and the graduation of diverse students. Latinx students (as well as those students from other traditionally underrepresented groups, first generation students, and low-income students) come from a wide range of backgrounds. Serving this diverse student population will require a multi-faceted and strategic approach that is supportive of individual student needs.

Brief Overview

In Fall 2017, Provost Katherine Frank sponsored a small group of administrators, faculty, and staff to attend the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) annual meeting. Five representatives from Academic and Student Life and Strategic Enrollment Management attended the meeting and returned to campus extremely energized and excited about helping to initiate next steps at CWU.

In Winter 2018, after consultation with President Gaudino, Provost Frank convened an HSI Steering Committee comprised of nineteen members (including the five individuals who attended HACU) from across the university (see Appendix A) to explore the possibility of strategic pursuit of HSI status at CWU. While the possibility has been discussed informally at CWU for many years, there has not been an organized examination of this possibility. CWU needed to discuss what it means to be an HSI, how well positioned CWU is to pursue this designation, what is already happening on campus to support the effort, where gaps exist, and what types of investments may need to be made.

Currently, there are four public HSIs (all community colleges) in Washington State: Big Bend Community College (37.2%), Columbia Basin College (34.9%), Wenatchee Valley College (39.4%), and Yakima Valley College (50%). CWU would be the only public university in Washington State to be an HSI if this status were achieved. Also notable is that CWU has centers located at three out of four of the aforementioned HSI community colleges.

HSI Steering Committee Process

The HSI Steering Committee began meeting in January 2018 and met at least twice a month through June 2018. Dr. Gina Garcia, Assistant Professor of Administrative and Policy Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, visited CWU in April 2018. Dr. Garcia is an expert on HSIs and emergent-HSIs, and she spent one and half days visiting our Yakima Center, and meeting with the HSI Steering Committee, students, faculty, and staff in Ellensburg. Dr. Garcia’s open faculty and staff session was attended by more than 100 people and was standing room only. Many attendees followed up with specific questions for Dr. Garcia following her visit. She also put us in touch with leadership at Marquette University, a private Jesuit university in Wisconsin that has just made the strategic and very public decision to pursue HSI status. While Marquette University and CWU are very different institutions with distinct missions, there is much that is similar about pursuit of HSI status at these two institutions. Both of our institutions will require careful, strategic, and patient


efforts in pursuit of HSI status based on our location, current Latinx/Hispanic enrollment, and resources availability.

An HSI Steering Committee meeting was held in May 2018 with Wilma Dulin, the Faculty Director for Yakima Valley College’s (YVC) Office of Institutional Effectiveness. Ms. Dulin oversees YVC’s Title V HSI grant and liaises with CWU regarding our participation in this grant project (only HSIs are eligible to apply for Title V funding). This grant partnership has provided valuable professional development for our faculty through ESCALA, which is mentioned several times throughout this report.

After some preliminary review and discussion of HSI literature and research, steering committee members worked together to identify six subcommittee areas: Community Engagement, Recruitment, Retention and Support, Curriculum and Programming, Professional Development, and Public Affairs. Each subcommittee was comprised of approximately three-four committee members and focused its data collection and research on its assigned area. Each group was asked to:

1) Conduct general research for their topic in an effort to "understand the context of Latinx/Hispanic students both nationally and within our institution" (Marquette, Executive Summary, ii); 2) start an inventory of institutional practices, programming, and policies that pertain to the area within the context of serving (and/or creating unnecessary barriers for) Latinx/Hispanic students, faculty, and staff; and 3) begin to identify key strengths, gaps, needs, questions, etc. that need to recognized and/or addressed going forward.

Associate Provost for Undergraduate and Faculty Affairs, Gail Mackin, collected extensive CWU data to help support committee work. All resources to support, and material generated by, the HSI Steering Committee was collected and made available via a Canvas course shell.

During the research and drafting process, subcommittees were encouraged to consult with colleagues outside of the steering committee to brainstorm, collect information and data, and broaden the conversation about possible pursuit of HSI status. Each subcommittee report went through an initial revision process that included a peer review by another subcommittee. Revisions were submitted in June for final editing and inclusion in the comprehensive report. While there is still work to be done, this collection of subcommittee reports and selected supporting materials presented in the appendices provide ample information to consider next steps.

Commonalities across Reports

There are a number of common programs emphasized, concerns expressed, and recommendations made across subcommittee reports. Rather than edit the subcommittee reports to eliminate repetition, these commonalities remain and have helped to establish themes and pathways for future consideration. Several of the reports call out the importance of grant-funded programs on campus, such as the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), TRiO, and SOLVER Scholars. They also praise work taking place in academic departments, such as World Languages and Law and Justice. While the Latino and Latin America Studies program (LLAS) is a potentially important program for pursuit of HSI status, it is emphasized across several reports that the program needs attention: careful assessment and program re-visioning. Student support programs that garner


much praise across reports include the Diversity and Equity Center (DEC) and the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement (CLCE). Groups commend the ESCALA training for faculty available through the Title V iFINISH grant with YVC that allows them to earn a certificate in Teaching at HSIs.

Concerns expressed across reports include a lack of strategic effort around Hispanic-serving initiatives on campus. Many subcommittees emphasize the amount of promising work taking place on campus, but note that the work is not strategic, well connected, or necessarily highly visible. Many groups feel the lack of strategic organization and orchestration lessen the overall impact of the work. Concern is also expressed regarding the recruitment and retention of faculty and staff from underrepresented groups, although it is noted that improvements are being made in this area. There are questions regarding how effective, comprehensive, and current academic curriculum is to serve the needs of students interested in Latinx/Hispanic affairs. Finally, there is concern expressed about the amount of resources available and needed to support strategic pursuit of HSI status.

Several reports emphasize the need for dedicated space on campus to support HSI efforts. One report refers to the need for a resource center, some refer to the need for an academic center, and some refer to a future multicultural center as a viable option. It appears groups would like to see a holistic center that includes academic and non-academic resources to support HSI efforts on campus. The vision across all reports that mention a center describes resources for students and their familial network, academic and non-academic support, programming, and community outreach. Also mentioned in several reports is the need for consistent translation services and key resources published in Spanish, particularly for those directed at families. Again, group members acknowledge there is work being done on improving translation services across campus and encourage expansion of these efforts going forward.

Suggestions for Next Steps

After a year of data collection and exploratory conversations, the HSI Steering Committee believes the strategic pursuit of HSI status is a potentially fundamental endeavor for CWU.

In a national context where higher education faces the challenge to adapt to changing students’ demographics that demand more sensitive and innovative pedagogical approaches while pursuing managerial models centered on revenue production, strong internal tensions can become characteristic of internal functioning dynamics where institutional identities and mission goals fracture or appear to lose track. In radical contrast with this national tenor, a unifying tone exists at CWU, where various stakeholders believe that becoming an HSI is a desirable and imperative goal. While in dialogue with many students, faculty, staff and administrators, the steering committee found thoughtful engagement with and enthusiastic support for this idea. Moreover, it was clear that where there were already existing efforts or latent intentions focused in this direction, people felt empowered just by knowing this conversation was taking place and redoubled efforts to better serve students and make CWU an even more inclusive space. In this way, the idea of pursuing HSI status offers a core narrative that could help unify this institution.

Such an idea also offers the possibility to better ground CWU within the region and peripheral communities it serves. The fact that such a considerable number of discrete efforts to better serve the growing diversity of our student population pre-date this conversation at CWU reflects the long-ago identified need by faculty and staff to reflect Washington state’s demographic changes. As an


institution committed to providing access, the invitation to reimagine policies and practices at CWU, to create more inclusive classroom environments, to create strong connections between the institution and its neighboring communities is unquestionably here. In this context, an image seems fitting: a pebble resonating in a pond. To become an HSI seems to represent a dialogue at CWU that unifies us, that empowers our doing, that generates stronger accountability within our campus and towards our communities, that allows us to reimagine ourselves, that invites us to participate in a conversation that resonates deep in all we do and represent at CWU.

Based on the above, the HSI Steering Committee looks forward to input from the Board of Trustees, and we hope to be encouraged to engage in broader conversations about possible pursuit of HSI status with the university community next year. Attendance at the open forum facilitated by Dr. Gina Garcia indicated there is strong interest in this topic, and early reception of this topic has been well received by the university community. If conversations continue to be positive and productive, the committee suggests moving towards strategic planning by Winter Quarter 2019. Again, if the aforementioned trends hold, CWU will become an HSI by 2023. Preparing for HSI-designation will allow for institution-wide change, improvements, and investments to be made gradually and strategically: CWU will embrace what it does well to serve students and continue to improve. Such efforts will support students, faculty, and staff and allow CWU to emerge as the sole public comprehensive HSI in the state, setting an example for others to follow.


Subcommittee: Community Engagement Members: Jason Berthon-Koch, Jill Hernandez, David Pena-Alfaro

Overview of Current Programs and Efforts CWU has taken numerous steps to improve diversity and inclusivity on campus and within its culture. Most of these steps have included an element of outreach and engagement with the communities served by the institution. Through grant-funded programs such as College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), TRiO,2 and the Yakima Educational Opportunity Center (EOC), CWU has been able to develop programs that focus on the recruitment, retention, mentorship, and graduation of first generation, low-income, and migrant students. These programs offer a wide range of student support services, including academic advising; career workshops and exploration; tutoring; cultural, social and leadership activities; assistance with financial aid; adult basic education (GED); and campus visits. The Center for Leadership & Community Engagement (CLCE) connects students and other community stakeholders for educational service and leadership development programs, including the International Community Program and the Cesar E. Chavez Remembering and Celebrating Event. The Center for Latino & Latin American Studies (CLLAS), though academically based, incorporates a community partnership initiative and annual series of sponsored cultural events to enhance relationships between CWU and surrounding communities. CWU’s Office of the Vice President for Inclusivity and Diversity, as well as the Diversity and Equity Center housed within Academic and Student Life provide a platform for engaging with surrounding communities, parents, students and the greater CWU campus through programs and events that range from cultural celebrations, to issue-based lectures and forums, to advocacy trainings and personal development.3 Strengths CWU’s location within Washington State continues to be a strength and selling point for potential students. Kittitas and the adjacent counties rely heavily on agricultural operations to drive their economies and are often populated by larger numbers of Hispanic residents. In addition to the university’s Ellensburg location, CWU’s affordable tuition rates allow more accessibility to residents of neighboring counties and communities who are not presented with as many higher education choices as potential students living on the west side of the Cascade Range. The combination of the Ellensburg residential campus and eight university centers and instructional sites, seven of which are co-located on community college campuses throughout the state, lends itself to increased accessibility for all students looking for a quality education at a reasonable cost. CWU continues to make education accessible through numerous delivery methods including fully online courses, in-classroom attendance, and/or hybrid methods of learning. The strong dual-credit programming also provides a potential pipeline for matriculation through its opportunities for students to demonstrate college level success. CWU’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity as well as community outreach can be seen through the programming of the Diversity and Equity

2 TRiO was given its name after the first three programs (Upward Bound, Talent Search, and Student Support Services) were implemented. It is not an acronym. There are currently eight programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post-baccalaureate programs. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/index.html?exp=5 3 CWU Diversity & Equity Center website: http://www.cwu.edu/diversity/center-for-diversity-social-justice


Center (DEC), the Center for Latino & Latin American Studies (CLLAS), Game On!, and the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement (CLCE), to name just a few. Looking at preliminary studies conducted through the office of the CLCE, it is evident that CWU fosters a safe and comfortable environment for all students to become and remain engaged (see Appendix B). This sample suggests that Latinx/Hispanic students are on average more engaged than students of any other underrepresented demographic. Couple this with other preliminary studies conducted through the years 2012-2017 that show higher GPAs of Latinx/Hispanic students when compared to all other students within the same cohort, a dominant narrative arises: these students are showing the motivation and drive, and the university is meeting them with support. That CWU is considering strategic pursuit of HSI-status reflects its commitment to affordable and accessible education for all marginalized and underrepresented groups. Challenges The importance of the family within Latinx cultures will require CWU to take a familial approach to recruitment and retention. Activities should be more family-focused in order to get ‘family buy-in’ on the college admissions process. Additionally, a greater focus on culturally relevant programming, both academic and extracurricular, should emphasize and celebrate the diversity of all Latinx cultures. CWU may need to devote more resources to expanding and leveraging its presence in neighboring counties through the university centers in order to maximize partnerships with community organizations, such as school districts and Latinx-centric businesses and civic organizations (e.g. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce). Through these kinds of partnerships, CWU can develop recruiting pipelines, financial resources (scholarships), and community engagement/outreach opportunities. Among the challenges CWU should anticipate facing on the road to HSI status is the need for students to self-report their race/ethnicity and for CWU to capture those identifiers from the existing population that has chosen not to report. Because of stigmas surrounding everything from legal status to financial aid eligibility, many students choose not to report their racial/ethnic identifiers. The university must work to address this situation. Recommendations Strategically, more collaborations among the many separate and distinct programs and departments providing valuable resources and outreach to underrepresented and first generation students could help minimize some of the challenges CWU faces. Through these types of collaborations, the University can begin to fill the gaps in outreach to Latinx communities and reinforce the commitment to becoming an HSI. Likewise, enhanced partnerships with businesses and civic organizations that are run by, employ, and serve Latinx communities can create opportunities for financial assistance through scholarships, internships, and permanent job placement. On the Ellensburg campus, a first step toward increased outreach could come from CWU’s student radio station, 88.1 KCWU (The Burg). By creating and incorporating more Latinx-centered programming, along with an expansion of service into Yakima County, CWU could capitalize on an existing vehicle for targeted outreach. Radio programming that includes elements of history, culture, current events, and community involvement opportunities could encourage prospective


students and their families to visit or even join the CWU family (see Appendix C for current and upcoming KCWU programming). Additionally, creating a space for Latinx students through a student resource center could offer a one-stop shop focused on comprehensive academic, financial, social, and cultural programming and resources for Latinx students. A space, which might include everything from Latinx-centered recruiting efforts to graduation celebrations, could reach more students and families by employing Latinx Student Ambassadors. These ambassadors could help to connect the ‘dream’ of higher education with the reality of success through programs that provide tutoring, mentoring, recruitment, and outreach to surrounding communities, school districts, and those visiting campus. Next Steps Hispanic Student Resource Center: The center would be a one-stop shop for all current and prospective Latinx students and their families. The intent of the center is not only to provide academic-related services and resources, but also to provide cultural and social activities that promote the diversity of the Latinx community. It would provide opportunities for Latinx students to realize or expand their own cultural identity. Throughout the literature, this element is as important as the academic support services offered, as it allows students to explore and celebrate their Latinx culture, enables them to socialize and form networks with their Latinx peers, and helps strengthen their own cultural identity. Services provided by the center could include recruiting, admissions, academic advising, career counseling, peer tutoring, social/cultural programming.4 Resources The table below outlines the potential costs associated with establishing such a center.

Recommended Approximate Cost Expenses

Director: $100,000 $34,000

Salary Benefits

Assistant Director: $70,000 $23,800

Salary Benefits

Recruiter/Admissions Counselor: $50,000 $17,000

Salary Benefits

Academic Advisor: $40,000 $13,600

Salary Benefits

Career Counselor: $40,000 $13,600

Salary Benefits

Financial Aid Counselor (cost share @ .5 FTE):

$27,500 $9,350

Salary (.5 FTE) Benefits

6 Peer Tutors (Student Employees):

$22,080 6 tutors * 32 weeks * 10 hrs/week * $11.50/hour

4 Student Event Coordinators: $14,720 4 students * 32 weeks * 10hrs/week * $11.50/hour

4 While CWU currently has a Center for Latino and Latin American Studies, this is a “center” in name only (established as part of the “Spheres of Distinction” project under President McIntyre). The LLAS program is struggling to enroll students and faculty will be engaging a review of curriculum this year. It would be possible to consider this initiative as part of the re-visioning of the LLAS program.


Equipment & Furnishings $25,000 Office Staff/Office Space

Student-use Computers $4000 5 computers


Subcommittee: Recruitment Members: Josh Hibbard, Margarita Manzo-Casio, Sharon O’Hare, and Samuel Gutierrez,

Overview of Current Programs and Efforts In past years, recruitment efforts at CWU have focused on building a general presence across the State of Washington. In practice, this has meant recruitment efforts have been spread across the state, rather than being focused on specific geographies. Subsequently, this model has not included intentional or targeted recruitment and outreach toward specific student profiles. Admissions counselors direct their efforts at high schools across the state, community college fairs, state high school college fairs, and national college fairs. In the past eight months, admissions counselors have visited more than 300 high schools, attended 150 high school fairs, 41 community college fairs, and multiple national college fairs. The motto of the admissions department has been, "If they invite us, we will come." More recently, CWU Admissions has implemented recruitment efforts designed to increase the level of service and outreach to a variety of Latinx communities. One of the most successful efforts has been the use of "On the Spot" admissions workshops. These workshops are held at high schools where a team of admissions personnel works with the high school to review applications for admissions and provide admissions decisions to students "on the spot." These events have proven successful for students at high schools with higher than average first generation populations, many of which also have a higher than average Latinx population. (see Appendix D) Some Latinx recruitment efforts were continued or expanded during Academic Year 2017-2018, including the highest level of sponsorship and CWU presence at the Northwest Mariachi Festival in Wenatchee and the Cinco de Mayo Cultural Festival in Yakima. In addition, CWU has participated in a variety of on-campus events that support Latinx populations as well as attending the AVID National Hispanic Fair. However, recruitment efforts have been limited to "one-offs" and lack strategies and tactics. This year, CWU admissions has initiated several activities and efforts to better serve the Latinx population, including: • Hiring Spanish-speaking admissions counselors (listed as a requirement in the position

description); • Conducting campus tours in Spanish; • Proposing an admissions center (Hebeler) that serves Latinx populations through Spanish-led

admissions workshops, counseling appointments, and financial aid informational sessions; • Proposing an admissions and financial aid website in Spanish directed towards families and the

community; • Increasing the number of Latinx College Fairs (targeting high schools with a Latinx population

of more than 15%); • Increasing the number of "On the Spot" admissions workshops; • Developing communication plans in Spanish for parents/families; • ACT and SAT name buys that capture Latinx prospects for marketing and recruitment activities; • Offering and expanding an all-Spanish Wildcat Day (Todos Somos Familia) with the effort of

recruiting Latinx families;


• Working with Institutional Effectiveness to develop data insights to better direct our recruitment efforts, specifically in the central Washington region and close to our university centers as well as out-of-state (California, New Mexico, and Arizona);

• The Dare to Dream Summer Program, which is a partnership between CWU CAMP and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP), recruits and enrolls 150 “priority for service [PFS] students” to attend a week-long academy at CWU every June. Individuals who meet the PFS criteria are students 1) who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet the state’s challenging academic content and student achievement standards, and 2) whose education has been interrupted during the regular school year. Dare to Dream participants receive credit in one of two areas and can attend consecutive years.

Strengths Geographic location and demographics of central Washington State rank as the fourth largest state of migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFW) in the United States. The farmworker population is comprised of a significant migrant workforce during peak harvest periods. The problems MSFWs encounter in the agricultural industry are very diverse, complex, and interconnected. While some MSFWs enter the state temporarily during harvest season, many others choose to stay in Washington, facing economic, cultural and educational challenges. Through educational and support services to MSFWs over the years, CWU, located in the hub of the agricultural activity in the state and the home to a vast number of MSFWs, has witnessed their struggles, as well as their potential for success when provided with educational opportunities. CWU enrolls a range of students from first-generation, academically-challenged, minority, low-income and MSFWs. One example is the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP): CWU CAMP program is a Department of Education (DoE) funded program designed to provide support to MSFW dependents. Eligible participants have access to an array of services, including academic, social and financial support. CWU CAMP is funded to serve 60 participants annually and has been continuously funded since 2001. CWU CAMP is a recruitment based and retention focused program, and it is required to meet rigorous measures set forth by the DoE. Challenges CWU faces significant challenges in recruiting Latinx populations. The following provides a brief overview of some of the identified challenges: Affordability – As Washington State funding decreases, CWU tuition has increased. While this has had a negative impact on all students, it especially affects students from lower social-economic statuses, which are often made up of a disproportionate number of Latinx students. Workload – Over the past four years, CWU undergraduate fall admission applications have increased from ~6700 to ~11,400 and undergraduate fall enrollments have increased from ~2900 to ~3600. However, Admissions staffing has not increased, which provides a significant challenge in managing the processing of applications and personal outreach and interactions with prospective students. Best practices in recruiting diverse and underrepresented populations include family-oriented admissions workshops, increases in programming for financial aid literacy, and personal


outreach from admissions counselors to help applicants complete the admissions process, confirm enrollment, and attend orientation. Campus Visits – A significant factor in the enrollment process for prospective students and their families is how they answer the question: "Will I feel welcome here?" In the last ten months, the university's Visitation Office has served more than 11,000 visitors through daily tours, group tours, and other visitation events. The office has done this with two full-time staff members working out of ~ 250 square feet of office space. In addition, Visitation Programs is housed in Barge, when all visit activity takes place in the SURC, producing logistical challenges. Adding Spanish-led and Latinx-oriented tours to an already lean staff poses a significant challenge. In addition, the current office location does not afford a welcoming space where Spanish-speaking families can meet before or after a tour. Admissions Center – One best practice in recruiting Latinx students is to offer application workshops, financial aid workshops, and appointments with families and admissions counselors. Currently, the physical space for admissions in Hebeler is not adequate to support these efforts. Diversity of Faculty and Staff – Recruiting diverse populations is enhanced when students and their families experience diversity on campus. Recruiting Latinx administrators, faculty, and staff will likely support Latinx recruitment efforts. This poses a challenge at CWU as current Latinx representation is lacking among administrators, faculty, and staff. The 2017-2018 Common Data Set from Institutional Research5 shows that faculty and staff minority representation stands at 19.3% overall, while instructional faculty minority representation is 12.8%. The Affirmative Action Plan, data collected May 2017, shows that the minority representation for all faculty and staff stands at 10.3%.6 Knowledge of Latinx Support Services/Outreach - There are many recruitment efforts being done by departments across campus; however, there is no cohesive list and formal assessment process. Recommendations CWU is positioned well to increase the level of service and recruitment efforts toward Latinx populations. The following provides a list of recommendations that could immediately enhance our efforts in this area: • Creation of a Cultural Community Center, which includes programs for recruiting and transition

to CWU; • Development of a Spanish-oriented website for admissions, financial aid, and parent/family

resources; • Development of enhanced and specialized pathways to admissions for the following programs:

Game On! CAMP, Teach STEM, dual enrollment pathways from community colleges; • Review of tuition waivers through the lens of Latinx recruitment; • Further direct lead acquisition to increase Latinx leads (SAT/ACT, etc.); • Collaboration with Institutional Effectiveness to develop data insights to direct strategic

recruitment efforts by geography both within the state and out of state (i.e., California, New Mexico, Arizona);

5 http://www.cwu.edu/oe/sites/cts.cwu.edu.oe/files/documents/CDS_2017-2018_012618.pdf 6 http://www.cwu.edu/hr/sites/cts.cwu.edu.hr/files/documents/Placement_Goals.pdf


• Take steps to become a Undocu-Friendly Campus; • Creation of a comprehensive list of programs that serve and recruit (either directly or indirectly)

Latinx populations. Resources Recommended Action Expenses Approximate Cost Notes

Cultural Community Center. Mission includes the recruiting and retention of all underrepresented students.

Professional staff, space, operating

TBD Could be partially funded by students

Increase number of applied Latinx students.

Name buys, increased presence in high Latinx counties (community organizations and high schools.) Parent outreach and communication program, including campus visits, Spanish-language presentations and materials. Added content to website, new print and email content in Spanish, bilingual staff, *adequate Admissions space for presentations in Spanish/English on admissions and financial aid.

Considerable. This is one of the draft goals of the SEM Plan, and will require and university-wide commitment of time, money, and talents.

Consolidated and expanded Admissions & Visitation space not yet identified

Increase tuition waivers for Latinx population

CWU could shift existing institutional aid resources to need-based aid.

None if existing resources are reallocated.

Cannot target aid for a protected class, but can do so for first generation and students with need. Community-based organizations can target aid.


Subcommittee: Retention and Support Programs Members: Veronica Gomez-Vilchis, Gail Mackin, Mayra Nambo, Adrian Naranjo, and

Miriam Bocchetti (non-steering committee member)

Overview of Current Programs and Efforts Growth in CWU’s Hispanic student population has been robust in recent years due to the close proximity to high Hispanic population counties. At 2017 census, Hispanic enrollment at CWU was 15.8% (up from 14.6% in 2016, 12.93% in 2015, and 9.8% in 2009). The number of Hispanic first-time full-time freshmen (FTFTF) has increased from 128 (7.8%) in 2009 to 318 (15.1%) in 2017. The number of Hispanic Transfer students has increased from 93 (7.2%) in 2009 to 214 (20.7%) in 2017.

FTFTF fall to fall retention rates of Hispanic students have generally surpassed those of the entire FTFTF cohorts for the last eight years. Although 4-year graduation rates for Hispanic FTFTF have been decidedly lower than those of the entire FTFTF 2009- 2013 cohorts, the average 6-year graduation rate for the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Hispanic FTFTF was 53.6% compared to the average of 51.9% for the entire FTFTF cohorts over the same three years (see data below). With increasing numbers of incoming Hispanic FTFTF, robust first year retention rates, and first year graduation/continuation rates for Hispanic transfer students, CWU’s proportion of Hispanic students is likely to continue to increase.

0.0%2.0%4.0%6.0%8.0%10.0%12.0%14.0%16.0%18.0%

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Hispanic%ofFTFTFCohort

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Hispanic%ofTotalTransferCohort


The fall to fall continuation rates of Hispanic transfer students has been slightly lower than that of the total transfer cohorts from 2009 to 2017, yet at times has attained that of the entire cohort. The percentage of Hispanic transfer students who graduate in three years is similar to, if not slightly less than, that of all transfer students (see data below).

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016Hispanic 74.22% 82.87% 77.12% 78.05% 79.91% 73.08% 79.06% 73.29%

TotalFTFTF 74.80% 77.58% 73.75% 73.94% 78.86% 78.77% 76.22% 72.57%

65.00%70.00%75.00%80.00%85.00%

FTFTFFalltoFallRetentionRate

Hispanic

TotalFTFTF

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013Hispanic 17.19% 25.41% 19.61% 25.37% 28.31%

TotoalFTFTF 24.71% 27.19% 28.16% 29.03% 34.03%

0.00%5.00%

10.00%15.00%20.00%25.00%30.00%35.00%40.00%

FTFTF4-YRGraduationRates

Hispanic

TotoalFTFTF

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016Hispanic 78.49% 75.83% 78.10% 79.10% 80.65% 76.87% 81.22% 78.69%

TotalTansfer 79.30% 79.84% 81.31% 80.48% 80.65% 80.26% 81.26% 82.37%

72.00%74.00%76.00%78.00%80.00%82.00%84.00%

TransferFalltoFallContinuationRate

Hispanic

TotalTansfer


The subcommittee for Retention and Support Programs has researched the proportion of Hispanic students, faculty, and staff at CWU, as well as the retention and graduation rates of Hispanic students. In addition, we conducted an inventory and reviewed programs at CWU that support and advocate for Hispanic students. We found that CWU has been intentional with developing, implementing, and enhancing programs in academics and in student life to provide Hispanic students with resources to successfully complete their degrees. This subcommittee report identifies existing strengths, gaps and provides recommendations that will help enhance our programing and retention rates of Hispanic faculty, staff, and students. Strengths Our strengths include departmental programming and initiatives that support Latinx students. Federal and State Funded Programs: Programs that offer regular and intentional advising and academic support: • College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP): CAMP is a Department of Education (DoE)

funded program designed to provide support to migrant seasonal farmworker (MSFW) dependents. Eligible participants have access to an array of services, including academic, social and financial support. CWU CAMP is funded to serve 60 participants annually and has been continuously funded since 2001. CWU CAMP is a recruitment-based and retention-focused program required to meet rigorous measures set forth by the DoE. http://www.cwu.edu/camp/

• TRiO: TRiO programs have been providing valuable support services to help students from low-

income and working families successfully enter college and graduate for more than 30 years. Central Washington University (CWU) hosts three TRiO programs, the Student Support Services Program (SSS) and the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, both located on Central’s main campus in Ellensburg, as well as the Educational Opportunity Center in Yakima. Central’s TRiO SSS has been serving students since 1992. The program provides a wide range of services to assist students as they earn undergraduate degrees. For the 225 scholars selected to participate, CWU provides the following services: comprehensive academic advising; academic and career workshops; career exploration; academic tutoring; cultural, social and/or leadership

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014Hispanic 61.29% 52.50% 56.20% 57.46% 53.55% 51.70%

TotalTransfer 55.41% 58.52% 56.00% 56.78% 56.07% 54.32%

46.00%48.00%50.00%52.00%54.00%56.00%58.00%60.00%62.00%64.00%

3-YRGraduationRates

Hispanic

TotalTransfer


activities; financial literacy programs; and assistance in applying for graduate school and financial aid. http://www.cwu.edu/academic-achievement/

• Student Transition and Academic Resources (STAR): An academic support program, STAR serves traditionally-underrepresented students. Qualified students often experience challenges and barriers while pursuing an education, but they possess the ability to persevere. Students are offered an array of services that foster academic success, including early registration for classes, tutoring, individualized academic advising, academic planning, and early alert outreach. STAR serves approximately 225 students each year. In 2015, 44.6% of STAR students self-identified as Latinx. This proportion increased to 52.5% in 2017. http://www.cwu.edu/exploratory-advising/

• McNair Scholars: CWU McNair Scholars program helps low-income, first-generation college students and students underrepresented in graduate education reach their goals of attaining doctoral degrees. Funded by Congress through the DoE, there are 158 programs on campuses nationwide. CWU is proud to have been one of the original McNair institutions in the country, and among the first in Washington State. The program works with students who have a stated interest in obtaining a Ph.D. and helps them prepare for successful application to, and completion of, a graduate-degree program. This includes GRE preparation, graduate school visits, faculty-mentored independent research, opportunities to present research findings at conferences around the country, academic advising, and elective credit for McNair seminars. The CWU McNair Scholars program is an integral component of CWU’s mission “to prepare students for responsible citizenship, responsible stewardship of the earth, and enlightened and productive lives.” McNair Scholars learn that by participating in the program, they are part of an investment by the DoE and CWU in the diversification of advanced-degree holders. A commitment to the social good undergirds the operations of the McNair Scholars program and manifests in the way CWU selects, mentors, and supports McNair Scholars and manages the program’s resources. The program has served 27 students per year for the last four years, averaging 40% Latinx students. http://www.cwu.edu/mcnair-scholars/

• Sustainability for Our Livelihood, Values, Environment, and Resources (SOLVERS): The SOLVER scholars program provides financial, academic, social, and professional support for underrepresented-minority, financially-disadvantaged students who are pursuing degrees in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics). Since its inception in 2014-15, 17 (61%) out of the 28 students involved in SOLVERS have been Hispanic. SOLVER is funded by the National Science Foundation S-STEM program. http://www.cwu.edu/solver/

Onboarding Initiatives: These initiatives are part of the ongoing effort of acclimating students to CWU: • Todos Somos Familia is the CWU orientation program for Spanish-speaking families held

annually during Wildcat Day in April. An estimated 50 students and their guests, totaling 150, participated in 2018. This program began in 2015 and is organized through First Year Experience. (See Appendix E for agenda and letter that students receive.)

• Casa Latina is a Living Learning Community (LLC) located in Meisner Hall. Casa Latina, an interdivisional collaboration uniting students, faculty, and staff is a multicultural LLC that welcomes all students who share an interest in Latinx heritage and culture. Since its inception,


Casa Latina has housed between 10 and 28 students each year, with an average of 18, since AY11-12. Casa Latina: • Provides a common academic experience through the Latino and Latin American Studies

program. • Creates formal and informal activities that enrich students' academics and the university

community. • Promotes students' engagement with Latinx populations and surrounding communities. • Transforms CWU into a culturally rich and receptive environment. “Your future is Central.

Tu futuro es Central.” • Enrolls LLC students in LLAS 102, An Introduction to Latino and Latin American Studies.

http://www.cwu.edu/housing/casa-latina

• Academic Advising: Exploratory, professional, faculty, online, and transfer advising is available to students year-round. This allows students to meet with their advisor to ensure they are on track and taking the required course for their major/minor and General Education. http://www.cwu.edu/academic-advising/

Departmental Initiatives:

Several CWU departments and programs have or are initiating specific initiatives to support students of diverse backgrounds. These include, but are not limited to: • The Center for Diversity and Social Justice organizes Raza Grad, a graduation celebration

specifically for Latinx graduates and their families held on campus each spring. Students are awarded a serape stole to wear with their cap and gown at Commencement. The eighth Annual Raza Grad in May celebrated 112 graduates with their families, totaling over 300 people. The total number of 2018 Hispanic graduates was 534 (478 undergraduates, four post-baccalaureates, and 52 graduates).

• The Department of Law and Justice actively supports Latinx students, understands the benefits of the growth of this area of the student population, and promotes activities to recruit and retain Hispanic majors and minors. More than a third of the membership of the department’s Community Advisory Board is Latinx, and 30.7% of their faculty and staff is Latinx.

• The World Languages Department has recently developed a Spanish Translation minor, which allows students to apply their skills and knowledge collaboratively in translating CWU policies and resources.

• The School of Education’s Diversity & Equity Committee, in collaboration with the English Department, Learning Commons, and the Office of International Studies and Programs is developing specialized sections of ENG 100/ENG 101 for students who intend to take or need to retake the West-B. The West-B is a significant barrier for students of color and ELL students at CWU and across the state. The goal of this initiative is to:

• Provide support before candidates take the state assessment, trying to improve our pass rate, and;

• Provide targeted support for candidates who fail one or more sections (there are three) for the first time, getting them the support they need to be successful in their retake.

• STEP and YESS provide a holistic approach for student success by means of academic support and mentoring. These programs also include specifically designed sections of foundational English courses and financial support for eligible students majoring in STEM


(STEP: http://www.cwu.edu/step/ ) and the social sciences (YESS http://www.cwu.edu/yess/). Since the STEP program began in AY03-04, 20.8% of the 652 participants have been Hispanic students. The first YESS cohort will launch in Fall 2018.

Challenges We identified the following challenges that would impede our ability to strengthen our current retention and programmatic efforts: • Program support for undocumented students: Latinx/first-generation serving programs, such as

CAMP, TRiO, McNair, and SOLVERS are dependent upon the ability to secure renewed federal grant funding. Because these support programs are federally funded, undocumented students are not eligible to participate or benefit from the targeted support each program provides.

• Lack of staff diversity: Currently, only 13% of CWU faculty and staff are diverse with respect to race/ethnicity, compared to the student body (34%), and only 5.6% of faculty and staff are Hispanic. More Latinx administrators, faculty, and staff need to be recruited.

• Advising: More consistency is needed in both Exploratory/Professional and Faculty Advising. The current advising structure needs to be revisited, a process that is underway.

• Campus service space: Currently there is no centralized location where Latinx students can receive support and services that are specifically related to their needs.

• Bilingual information/communications: There are limited CWU communications to students and external stakeholders in Spanish. All communications concerning CWU processes should be offered in both English and Spanish (e.g. main phone line, admissions communication, orientation information, etc.). Campus tours in Spanish should be readily available throughout the year.

• Staff training: Cross-cultural training for staff/faculty is needed to interact most effectively with Latinx students, DACA, undocumented, etc., to improve customer service and support in all areas.

• Curriculum: Currently there is limited inclusion of varied cultural content within curriculum (e.g. General Education courses). For example, include texts by Latinx authors in literature or cultural-related courses and consider revisiting the curriculum for the Latino and Latin American Studies program.


Resources

Recommended Action Expenses Approx. Cost Hire a certified Spanish translator/interpreter

Salary & Benefits Professional Development

$60,000

Prioritize and formalize the recruitment/retention of bilingual staff/faculty

Intentional outreach through marketing, conferences

$60,000

Multicultural Center Salary & benefits for 5 staff members Anticipated SURC expansion

TBD

Institutionalize best practices from high performing, grant-funded, student support programs

Programming Salary & benefits for staff

$160,000

Professional development for students, faculty and staff

Training opportunities $45,000

Community building programs

Networking opportunities Resources

$30,000

Policies • HR has integrated a cultural

diversity initiative within their hiring practices, but no formal policies

• Need a policy or institutional expectations for ensuring cross training within and across units

• Need for recognition within tenure/promotion and annual review process for retention efforts and diversity initiatives


Subcommittee: Curriculum and Programming Members: Ediz Kaykayoglu, Rodrigo Renteria, Emily Veitia

Overview of Current Programs and Efforts To assess current curricular and programmatic efforts at CWU, it is necessary to conduct such analyses at three levels: structure (current status of faculty, hiring practices and diversity), content (class offerings, curriculum development, interdisciplinary programs), and congruency between structure and content. This report aims to identify how current practices and offerings align with HSI principles and values and, by extension, the challenges and voids we face as an institution. It does so by comparing where CWU stands in relation to other universities and programs in the nation. Strengths Current initiatives: • Student-generated Organizations/Clubs: MEChA and Latinx (recently proposed new club) • Extra-curricular/curricular Support Organizations: College Assistance Migrant Program

(CAMP), Casa Latina • CWU-Community Liaison: Latinx Alumni These groups play a crucial role at CWU by providing different spaces of inclusion for students and alumni while fulfilling distinctive missions. Even though they rarely collaborate, as a whole they generate cultural programming, community-engagement opportunities, student-to-student mentorship, intercultural events, and marketing opportunities • Cultural Programming: Diversity and Equity Center (DEC), Office for International Studies and

Programs, etc. (Day of the Dead, Latinx speakers, International Cultural Activities, etc.) Cultural programming serves a fundamental role for the Latinx student population by seeking to create a campus environment that is inclusive and representative of their life experience. In some cases it provides an opportunity for families to become active in campus life, strengthening their confidence in the institution and supporting students’ sense of security. • Traditional Curriculum Offerings (Majors in Spanish and Heritage Spanish, Minor in Latino &

Latin American Studies (LLAS), and innovative academic programs/courses (Student Opportunities for Biological Research in Mexico (SOBRE Mexico), COM 471: Corporate Communication in Latin America, etc.)

For decades Central has offered (non-systemic) curricular offerings that reflect the national understanding of Latinx/Hispanic assumptions. A comprehensive and intentional curricular plan is needed to ensure offerings that are relevant for the region and reflect the current cultural reality.


Challenges Lack of intentional and strategic curricular offerings From an HSI perspective, curricular offering should take into consideration two salient types of content: 1) curricular offerings centered around exposing students to the cultural, social, historical and economic realities of Latin America and that of its diaspora in the northern part of the continent (re: Chicano Studies), and 2) proposed innovative content and international exchange opportunities devoted to connect students to the thriving academic and professional realities of Latin America. Importantly, the first type of content validates and reinforces the diverse cultural background of many Latinx students, whereas the second exposes them new ways of articulating themselves to larger academic narratives beyond prevailing racial stereotypes. In this context, CWU’s Center for Latino and Latino American Studies offers at this point what can be considered a traditional curricular plan heavily centered on the Chicano experience that is somewhat complemented with specialized coursework on central Mexico. This type of curriculum appears to be relevant to a relatively small number of Latinx students; it is unclear to what extent this isolation reflects the center’s limited integration to other Latinx curricular and programmatic initiatives, funding structure, and/or lack of a physical space (unquestionably, the development of a multicultural center unifying content and practices becomes a salient need). In this context, there is the urgent need to re-envision the role and curricular content that CLLAS plays at CWU, as the program represents a potential institutional place to render visible salient Latinx curricular and programmatic initiatives. Beyond CLLAS it is possible to find, interspersed among the different programs at Central, coursework that is relevant for the Latinx student population. Unfortunately, finding these offerings is challenging. A website showcasing relevant offerings thus becomes another priority. Yet, beyond redesigning access to components already present, the most challenging aspect of curriculum is the development of innovative content, better-grounded in CWU’s social reality. This is challenging for a number of reasons. Curricular development is tied to college funding priorities. Key portions of the institution may not embrace building a common goal/culture shift within CWU to heighten the importance of a broader HSI-related curriculum. There is also the need to think about multi/interdisciplinary work in terms of national trends in education, as well as tailoring it to our own reality in terms of local, statewide and international populations. Finally, there is a need to redefine hiring and retention practices at CWU in order to diversify curricular offerings Strategic study abroad programs will help support an HSI initiative. Faculty-led programs have helped to enhance the internationalization efforts, but offerings have been inconsistent. There is a lack of a financial and comprehensive strategic approach to these international program offerings. Fully supported study abroad initiatives by the colleges and departments would help to prepare tomorrow’s world citizens. Lack of cultural diversity among faculty, staff and administration CWU currently has a low number of faculty and staff that are representative of the Latinx student population both inside and outside CWU. Our reality produces a work dynamic where existing


Latinx faculty and staff are constantly taxed to fill the void in an effort to satisfy students’ needs. More importantly, the lack of diversity in personnel limits the diversity of curricular and programmatic offerings. The crucial connection that exists between students and faculty of traditionally underrepresented or marginalized groups cannot be overstated. The presence of such faculty certainly attracts students from similar backgrounds and unquestionably plays a key role in their retention—as they eventually imagine themselves in similar roles. Thus, the need to honor and empower this connection is at the very core of any HSI conversation and all possible resources should be invested in diversifying faculty and staff. HR and departmental hiring policies and practices need to strengthen their intentionality on diversifying faculty, populating hiring committees with diverse members, and advertising nationally and internationally with competitive salaries, structural support, and flexibility in the negotiation processes. Such an approach can only benefit CWU in every possible dimension for, in order to continue serving and diversifying our student population (a national trend), we first need to diversify who we are (here). Current Efforts In this section we are identifying key organizational places where Latinx-oriented content is at the forefront of these initiatives. Academic programs • ¡SOBRE Mexico!: This academic program introduces students to conservation biology

experiences in bicultural, bilingual settings in Mexico. The program has exposed students for almost 20 years to the challenges and potential of international research and local collaborations.

• Center for Latino and Latin American Studies (CLLAS): The CLLAS combines an interdisciplinary academic program with a community partnership initiative to engage CWU and the surrounding community in an intensive study of Latino and Latin American peoples and cultures.

• World Languages Department: The World Languages Department at CWU offers a major and minor in Spanish. Students develop language proficiency and in-depth knowledge of culture through coursework that covers Spain, Latin America, and the U.S. Latino population.

Programming • Diversity and Equity Center (DEC) Initiatives: The DEC advocates to create an inclusive space

for all students while aiming to engrain a love and respect for cultural and personal diversity as a cornerstone of their professionalization.

Specialized committees and initiatives • Mexico Special Interest Group: This interest group was formed to explore and enhance cultural

and international exchange programs and initiatives between Mexico and the United States. There are several goals that align with the HSI, which makes this group’s approach synergistic:


student mobility by cultural and lingual programs, faculty research collaboration, field schools and international conferences, etc.

• ESCALA Training (in collaboration with Yakima Valley College’s three year iFINISH Title V

grant): As a professional training initiative, ESCALA assists to provide support that closes the gap in educational access and retention for Latinx students with faculty development programming and program assessment. In collaboration with YVC and Heritage University, CWU has participated in this training since 2015.

Recommendations This section articulates many of the elements mentioned above into the conceptual framework proposed in this report: structure, content, congruence. General recommendations are thus to operate at the following levels: Structural In order to diversify CWU’s programming and curricular offerings, we must work to diversify our faculty, staff and administrators across campus. Faculty and staff must be trained in creating inclusive environments in their daily practices. Content The university must consolidate and develop inclusive curriculum and pedagogy. The first step is to identify and strengthen current curricular and programmatic offerings in order to develop new academic initiatives. Congruence Embed inclusive curriculum and pedagogy initiatives into university practices (via Cultural Competence training, ESCALA workshops, etc.). These new initiatives need to be articulated into larger university-level endeavors to make them sustainable and practical in the long term. Next Steps Based on an assessment of the current challenges and existing efforts addressed in this report, a number of immediate steps to follow and goals to pursue are proposed. Curriculum • Re-envision CLLAS. • Spatially articulate CLLAS & DEC via a new Multicultural Center. • Orchestrate a Latinx curriculum committee (based at CLLAS) capable of 1) identifying in detail

existing offerings, 2) proposing and supporting new curricular development, and 3) helping organize all-related content in a centralized website.

• Critically redefine policies and practices related to hiring and retaining faculty of color. • Conduct cultural competence training among all-personnel levels at CWU and Inclusive

Classroom Environments among faculty. Programming • Critically redefine the role that DEC will play in CWU’s HSI strategic development plan.


• Strengthen DEC’s operational capacity through the creation of a Multicultural Center. Institutional Organization • All HSI/Latinx-related initiatives and information should be available to CWU students via a

centralized Web page, including existing offerings in curriculum and programming, forthcoming programs and events, and engagement opportunities for students.

Resources

Recommended Action Approx. Cost

ASL-level Coordinator/Director To assist the coordination of curriculum and programming aspect of HSI among all units around the university.

$70,000 - Salary $23,800 - Benefits

Curriculum Development To orchestrate a Latinx curriculum committee (via CLLAS) capable of 1) identifying in detail existing offerings, 2) proposing and supporting new curricular development, and 3) helping organize all-related content in a centralized website. To critically redefine policies and practices related to hiring and retaining faculty of color. To conduct cultural competence training among all-personnel levels at CWU and Inclusive Classroom Environments among faculty

$100,000 – In developing HSI supportive curriculum initiatives and programs

Programmatic Development To strengthen DEC’s operational capacity through the creation of a Multicultural Center.

TBD


Subcommittee: Professional Development of Faculty and Staff Members: Kandee Cleary, Katherine Frank, Staci Sleigh-Layman

Overview of Current Programs and Efforts Professional development for faculty and staff at CWU is important to the success of all students and to the campus as a whole. Professional development opportunities allow for enhancement of all areas of faculty life—teaching, scholarship/creative activity, and service—as well as provide staff with a comprehensive support structure, opportunities for improvement, and possibilities for advancement. Effective professional development helps to recruit and retain diverse faculty and staff. The training and development of faculty and staff is improving: • Faculty Development: A physical space for the start of a Faculty Development Center has been

identified. There is a faculty lead who helps coordinate and promote trainings on a variety of topics.

• The Office of Multimodal Learning supports faculty, students, and staff in online learning, distance education, and operates the Multimodal Education Center, which provides instructional and multimedia technologies, support, and training for the university community. Their goal is to create opportunities for exploration of emerging technologies, digital media, and innovative learning spaces.

• Central Learning Academy, located in Human Resources, is responsible for making required trainings available, as well as providing ongoing development for faculty, staff, and students. Required trainings include: • New Employee Welcome • Treating People with Dignity and Respect • Emergency Preparedness • FERPA • Diversityedu

• Diversity Committees: All Academic and Student Life college and non-college units have diversity committees. The University’s Inclusivity and Diversity Committee is updating its membership to include representation from these committees in an effort to better coordinate and centralize communication and information.

• Faculty Recruiting: During AY 17, ASL and HR co-sponsored two workshops focused on recruiting and retaining diverse and inclusive faculty.

Strengths • The university has hard-working faculty and staff committed to fulfilling the mission of CWU. • Some existing programs do a good job in serving under-represented populations, which includes

programming that focuses specifically on Latinx students and provides professional development and learning opportunities for students, faculty, and staff. The following highlight some stand out programs and initiatives in various areas, and Appendix F lists additional examples. • Student Success has a long history of providing programs to a variety of different student

groups: • Diversity and Equity Center (DEC): Promoting equity, respect and social justice through

programs, structures, outreach and participation in the curricular and co-curricular lives of


students, faculty, and staff. Through programming and advocacy, the center works to build a nurturing campus community that understands and celebrates diversity, while facilitating inclusion and supporting academic success and creative expression.

• ASCWU: Equity and Community Affairs, Clubs and Organizations • Center for Leadership and Community Engagement: Through purposeful programs and

services, the CLCE promotes and facilitates leadership learning grounded in the following core curriculum: character and ethics of leadership, leadership skill development, servant leadership.

• The College of the Sciences have professional development and outreach opportunities focused specifically on serving Latinx students: • ESCALA training through the iFINISH grant with YVC (certificate in Teaching at HSIs;

part of YVC’s Title V grant) • Law and Justice: research stipends for faculty to participate in conferences, workshops, or

trainings related to Latinx/Hispanic issues affecting students. Specifically, the stipends are for any faculty for travel connected to increasing enrollment; improving retention and completion of Hispanic and low-income students; and increasing transfer, enrollment, retention, and completion.

• Mathematics: Grant-funded Spanish-language Math Circle in Ellensburg • The Wildcat ESL Program: A partnership between HR and the Office for International Studies

and Programs that has existed since 2014 to provide non-native English speakers with language instruction to increase accessibility to CWU jobs (see Appendix G).

• Intergroup Dialogue: “[A] proven, evidence-based, method for building understanding across differences, increasing understanding of inequalities and promoting collaborative approaches to campus and community change.” A pilot program that included 24 faculty, staff, students, and administrators from four divisions and 16 different departments took part in training this year. The feedback was overwhelming positive (see Appendix H).

Challenges CWU does not have a systematic approach to supporting professional development:

• Faculty Development: We are in the early stages of securing a physical space for a Faculty Development Center. We currently do not have a full-time dedicated director of Faculty Development (the faculty-lead has WLUs committed to this role).

• Programming: While there is a lot of effective programming on campus dedicated to supporting diverse groups, offerings are sparse when the focus is specifically on Latinx students, faculty, and staff.

• Search Processes: While the institution has a history of requiring search committees to employ and document recruitment activities, there are gaps. We need to develop strategies for both passive and active recruitment of diverse faculty and staff. The university needs to collect data on various points in the recruitment and hiring process such as: applicant pool, candidates who withdraw, candidates who decline offers of employment and the reasons, etc.

• Retention Processes: While some departments actively support new faculty and staff, we have systematic gaps in mentoring programs. We need to develop strategies to retain diverse faculty and staff.


Recommendations • Consider an annual thematic focus for the entire institution to help unify professional

development efforts. • Faculty Development Center plan includes professional development for faculty on how to

incorporate intercultural awareness into their teaching practices and curricula. • Explore Intergroup Dialogue (IGD) as a galvanizing strategy for better communication and

understanding of similarities and difference across campus. • Design and implement ongoing education initiatives to improve intercultural competency of all

faculty, staff, and students. • Hire an HR recruitment specialist. • Offer incentives for current faculty and staff to learn Spanish since the language is the

window to the culture. • Establish a brick and mortar space, with a full-time director, for faculty and staff

development. • Create faculty and staff development initiatives that involve re-envisioning curriculum and

co-curricular programming through the development of culturally responsive teaching practices, which recognize the differences in values, beliefs, and importance of racial and cultural diversity in learning. This initiative must include training that assists faculty and staff in addressing the challenges students encounter in achieving educational and career goals (cultural differences, family/school disconnect, finances, first-generation college student, language barriers, social pressure to drop out, time conflicts, work demands, etc.).

• Design a comprehensive faculty/staff professional development program focusing on increasing:

• online student success; • quality interactions between students and faculty and collaboration among faculty; • pathways to success; • levels of academic engagement and transfer expectations; • assistance to students who are underprepared for college.

• Use student success data and the adoption of new learning systems and methods to improve student learning and student services outcomes.

• Encourage faculty to participate in offerings to keep up-to-date on trends and best practices in intercultural education, including technological advancements to improve retention.

• Host workshops, presentations, and speakers to promote the development of programs and the infusion of strategies into the classroom, especially in relation to awareness and diverse teaching and learning processes.

• Provide faculty support for curriculum redesign for maximum impact utilizing best practices in working with underserved populations to create a culture of flexible student belonging.

• Continue mandatory online training through CLA that educates faculty and staff about cultural awareness (Treating People with Dignity and Respect).

• Design and implement a “grow your own” program to increase the diversity of faculty, administrators and staff.

• Develop and implement mentoring programs for all diverse faculty and staff to increase retention.


• Increase Spanish-language visibility and capabilities through signage, print materials, and requiring bilingual fluency and cultural competency for new hires in key areas that interact with students, potential students, and parents.

• Add language to the Wildcat Way that speaks to our identity of cultural acceptance.

Next Steps • Hire and support a full-time director of faculty development who can create and sustain a robust

and meaningful faculty development program addressing intercultural competence. • Improve programming for deans, department chairs, and directors that addresses intercultural

competence. • Ensure adjunct faculty, who often have the most contact with first-generation students are

provided with professional development opportunities that they are able and invited to attend and are educated about intercultural competence.

• Offer Intergroup Dialogue training to a broad portion of the university population and provide incentives to utilize this type of dialogue/facilitation in all facets of the university culture.

Resources

Recommended Action Expenses Approx. Cost

HR Recruitment Specialist Salary and benefits $120,000

Faculty and Staff Development Director Salary and benefits $150,000

Spanish language acquisition by current employees

Training program, incentives, marketing

$50,000

Faculty and Staff Development Initiative Training, incentives $100,000

“Grow Your Own” Faculty Initiative Support initiatives $200,000/redirected funds

Mentoring Program for Faculty and Staff WLUs for current faculty Redirected funds

Resource Center Brick and Mortar TBD


Subcommittee: Public Affairs Members: Dawn Alford, Paul Knepper, Gayla Stoner

Overview of Current Programs and Efforts CWU needs to establish multichannel marketing, communication, and outreach plans to ensure the Latinx community and other stakeholders receive targeted, planned, and real-time information. Best practice recommendations include establishing frequent communications through a well-defined communication strategy with stakeholders that includes online materials. The strategy targets prospective Latinx students as well as their families and communities within a cultural context.7

Strategically communicating with the Latinx population from youth-K12, through the transfer population to graduate school, is a critical strategy for achieving and maintaining HSI status. Areas of best practice include promotion of student support services from application to graduation. For example, the University of Illinois-Chicago established a specific organizational unit to provide Latinx student recruitment and support services. By developing and marketing this type of dedicated unit, CWU will build a visible pathway to higher education, application and financial aid, academic advising, etc.

The overall communication strategy will need to reach internal as well as external audiences. Currently, internal communication channels are not effective in reaching the campus population and CWU lacks a multi-faceted internal communication strategy. Internal audiences include Latinx students, faculty and staff as well as non-Latinx students, faculty and staff. For the plan to operate effectively, it needs to include not only staff in the Public Affairs department, but also those located throughout the university. Because communications and outreach staff work in various departments, it can result in fragmented messaging. As important, the communication strategy needs to operate through academic and administrative communication channels. Some programs currently attract much more Latinx student interest than others do.

CWU will benefit from establishing a Hispanic-serving Institution as a grid with academic and support units, administrators, faculty, staff and students each having a part, whether large or small (see Appendix I). Some will be devoted 100 percent to Hispanic-serving activities, some five percent; nevertheless, all stakeholders must contribute to achieve success. Essentially, our public affairs strategy aims to help each constituency find their place on the HSI grid.

CWU must recognize that designing and delivering a coherent, effective program invites several challenges.

Action Steps Taken • Public Affairs currently devotes $6500 a year to Spanish-language advertising. • Latinx students and staff are showcased in publications, websites, banners, etc. such as the large

outdoor billboard located at the east Ellensburg entrance.

7 Torres, V. & Zerquera, D. (2012) Hispanic-serving institutions: Patterns, predictions and implications for informing policy discussions. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education 11: 259-278.


• CWU has established a visible presence at regional cultural events such as Cinco de Mayo and the State Fair in Yakima.

• The university has produced English and Spanish-language “You Belong Here” videos scheduled to air on Univision and regional television outlets.

Strengths A primary strength is the language of inclusivity within CWU’s vision statement. It provides a focus for attracting faculty, staff, and students committed to a diverse culture and environment.

Central Washington University (CWU) is a dynamic, creative and inclusive environment that promotes engaged learning and scholarship. It is distinguished regionally for the rigor of its curriculum and scholarship, for the excellence of its pedagogy, for the vibrancy of its co-curricular and residential experiences, for its commitment to providing access to higher education, and for its efforts to advance the social and economic health of the region. It is typified by an entrepreneurial spirit that establishes it as a national leader in higher education. It has a strong commitment to engaged learning and scholarship, internationalism, sustainability, inclusiveness and life-long learning.

The University of New Hampshire (UNH) shifted its diversity effort to incorporate inclusive excellence. UNH promotes student organizations that foster diversity and cultural experiences. In doing so, UNH strives to create culturally relevant marketing and communication strategies.

Another key strength at CWU is the coordinated unit with skilled Public Affairs staff possessing a broad range of expertise in the use of marketing channels, including radio, print, social media, video, television, web, public engagement, graphics, and photography. Additionally, CWU employs communications staff throughout the university in Athletics, Student Success, Advancement, Public Affairs, and the colleges.

Through the coordinated unit, CWU currently delivers direct marketing to the Latinx community via well-established relationships with regional and statewide news outlets. CWU has ascertained media platforms and an internal communication pipeline through Central Today. Staff and faculty connect with Ellensburg and Yakima communities by serving on city and community boards, civic organizations, and commissions.

Challenges A critical challenge is the absence of any reference to diversity within the mission statement for CWU.

The mission of Central Washington University is to prepare students for enlightened, responsible and productive lives; to produce research, scholarship, and creative expression in the public interest; and to serve as a resource to the region and the state through effective stewardship of university resources.

Another challenge rests on CWU’s ability to define, understand, and reach the Latinx student market, as well as understand their families. Population pockets exist within the Seattle area and central Washington. These populations require different communication strategies. This will require


an understanding of the relationships within the Latinx community as well as identifying university employees and partners who have established relationships within these communities. The university must design and deliver external messaging to reach prospective Latinx students and faculty. To make this happen, CWU needs bilingual staff with a background in communication.

CWU should avoid creating the appearance of winners and losers, of beneficiaries and marginalized units, of replacing or taking away something valued within the current university context. Additionally, the university must capture voice in a manner that enables appropriate and timely responses that meet the needs of diverse students and families.

Recommendations • Build multi-language website with ability to switch to Spanish at the click of an icon that is

easily searchable. • Research targeted Latinx population(s) and then design and implement a university-wide

marketing plan to reach prospective Latinx students, families and communities. Requires increase investment in advertising.

• Design and implement a communication plan to enable current/prospective students, faculty and staff, Latinx and non-Latinx, as well as the Board of Trustees, advisory boards, alumni, donors, and the community to understand HSI identity. (see Appendix J for examples)

• Train and recruit bilingual Latinx journalism students for PA positions while identifying and restructuring communication/outreach staff university-wide.

• Build partnerships with Latinx employers, Hispanic professional associations, and community-based organizations; increase presence at existing Latinx events.

• Engage campus, community, and partners by creating a yearlong celebration of “eHSI” (emerging HSI) status with “100 eHSI events” initiative with a wide range of branded activities across the university. Celebrate with a separate large community event once HSI designation is met.

• Establish linkages with HSI partner institutions to create opportunities for interaction among students, faculty, staff and administrators.

• Build working relationships with key community colleges to create a pipeline from associate to graduate degrees. This would include an YVC-CWU transfer workgroup, among others.

• Engage university employees and alumni in developing relationships with Latinx-focused committees within their professional organizations.

• Identify opportunities for grants in humanities, sciences and other areas. Make the most of ESCALA and existing Title V resources available through partnerships. Fully leverage partnerships in an effort to collaborate on grants and other external funding opportunities.

Resources

Recommended action Expense Estimated costs

1. Design multi-language searchable website

Website Development Firm Time & Effort

$300-400K

2. Research targeted Latinx population(s)

Consulting Firm or Professor/Grad Student

$60K-$150K


Recommended action Expense Estimated costs 2a. Create university-wide marketing

plan Time & Effort

2b. Increase Latinx paid advertising

Digital Advertising, Radio, TV, Billboards, Magazines

$75,000/year

2c. Increase presence at Latinx community events

Sponsorships/Booths $30,000/year

3. Hire bilingual Latinx communication staff

Salary & Benefits $73,000/year (per employee)

3a. Identify, restructure communication/outreach staff university-wide

Time & Effort TBD

4. Year-long “eHSI” celebration Marketing Materials Food, Event Funding, Time & Effort

$150,000

4a. HSI designation celebration Time & Effort, Food, Swag, Entertainment, Advertising

$25,000-$30,000

steering committee report: preliminary exploration of ... · appendix f: professional...

Documents